Too real.

Those of you who also play Uru and participate in the various Uru-like forums will need no introduction to what I’m going to post about now. Although discussion has been banned for 24 hours on the UruObsession and other forums, I feel it neccesary to speak my mind on the matter on this private space. For those that don’t play, I think some information should be given.

On Tuesday 15 August the husband of a person we’d come to know as Starfyre reported that Kirsten “Starfyre” had been involved in a hit and run accident and was currently in a coma at a local hospital. News later followed that her sister Tara had passed away.

Garrett, her husband, kept posting news throughout the coming hours while we as the community waited, hoped and prayed that she would come through it. Then came the news that she had passed away.

A wave of outpouring from the community ensued unlike anything I recall. TCT plugged a tribute page onto the splash screen of its website, their forum ran a black banner, Carter produced candle icons which most people changed their DP/Avvie to, and plans began for a memorial. I went to sleep having grown depressed by the thought of her husband and two young twins living without a mother and wife from now on…

I woke up this morning to a number of posts requesting I urgently remove the tribute on the TCT website and the black banner on the forum. I looked a bit furthur and found the following post:

Dear friends,  

I have spoken to Garrett, whom you know as Starfyre’s husband. The truth is a bit more difficult, and Garrett has asked me to explain.  

Naraya Starfyre was Garrett’s avatar in Prologue, and he continued to use the persona after Prologue ended, and into Until Uru. Unfortunately, the persona became overwhelming. He has been trying to separate himself from “Starfyre” for some time, unsuccessfully. Sadly, he felt his only choice was to kill her, in order to remove her from the community and ‘life’ completely, so that he could begin to heal himself.  

He wants to stress that he did not mean for anyone to be hurt, and that any money that happened to be sent to him through paypal will be returned in full.  

Garrett is very aware of the reactions the community will have to this news; shock, anger, sadness, concern. It is my hope that the community will be able to have compassion, as well, for the difficult time Garrett faces in putting this behind him, moving on, and becoming a whole, healthy person. Given the outpouring at “Starfyre”’s passing, hopefully we can remember the positive works Garrett-as-Starfyre did, and welcome him back to the community when he is ready.  

There’s no need for a large debate or discussion on the forums. What is done is done, and we can only move on from here.  

Many times we have encountered people who have had one illness or another, and have wished him/her well. We need to do the same thing here. Garrett is seeking to heal, and we can go a long way to help him accomplish this.  

In community spirit,
Eleri Hamilton

It had all been a massive lie… a trick… Discussion bans remain in place on UO and TCT forums and will do for another 12 hours. I’m not entirely sure how people will react to this… “shock, anger, sadness, concern” as Eleri writes are just the beginning.

My Uru persona is a person called Miles. But Miles is me. My name is Timothy Miles Keller in RealLife. For Garrett, he found the need to create an all new person, a woman… Starfyre. He-as-she has spent nearly 3 years as this person and I guess it just got all too much for him. How do you suddenly stop and tell everyone you know that in fact it is a lie. You’re a man playing as a women in Uru.

What I’m trying to say is… When does Virtual/Altered Reality (Uru and similar games) become just a little too real? It’s meant to be a game, not an all-encompassing-life-destroying-experience.

I am glad I never knew “Starfyre”. I would feel betrayed, cheated and disgusted. I do not understand why Garrett decided to masquerade as Starfyre, but I do understand why he did what he did to remove her from the story and his life. I hope he will now take some months to sort out his life and get help. 

Garrett, my best wishes for the rest of your life. I hope you find peace.